so i used one equation to solve for the other unknowns, and plugged in the i2 = i1 + i3 equation in the beginning. than used that equation to solve for the final one. maybe my algebra got screwed up along the way or something. it takes like a page working through the problem only to see that you didnt get it.

so solving for I1 i tried
E2 -I1R1 - R2(E2 + I1R3)/(R3 + R2) = 0
which turned out to be .515 A